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As a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) of 30-plus years and retired federal agent, it is part of my job to educate the community and provide information that will help people identify scams and prevent them from losing their hard-earned money. The Sage Team has compiled links from public sources to help keep you safe during the coming Holiday Season. Today, it is better for you to be proactive than reactive. It is critical for you to contribute to protecting yourself through knowledge and to understand that scammers do not hibernate during the winter. Law Enforcement is understaffed and busy with physical crime; thus, monetary scams are generally a low priority. The following links will provide you with troves of knowledge at your fingertips. Most people get scammed because they are unaware of the different scams. We encourage you to take time to learn so you will not be scammed.
The leading site is the Federal Trade Commission which provided links to 44 pages of different scam alerts.
https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts
US DOJ – Office of Justice Programs assists crime victims in the Nation.
https://www.ojp.gov/feature/fraud-awareness/prevention-and-education
Federal Bureau of Investigation has common scam and crime links to help you be educated.
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/safety-resources/scams-and-safety/
Scam Detector – the largest fraud prevention resource in the world and is operated by a full team of professionals providing the best safety measures, along with their world-class partners. These scams include Amazon, Social Security, Medicare, PayPal, Bitcoin, and Credit Cards.
https://www.scam-detector.com/article/list-of-scamming-websites/
South Carolina Dept. of Consumer Affairs – “Ditch the Pitch: A Guide for Guarding Against Scams” is meant to help you get ahead of the fraudsters. These scams include Free Prize, Lottery, Romance, Travel, and Phone.
https://consumer.sc.gov/consumer-resources/consumer-faqs/scam-education
Publishers Clearing House – Fraud awareness. Scammers will request payment for prizes, they will contact you by phone, email, or Facebook, none of which will be done by PCH. Awards are secret until they arrive at your door!
https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection-2/
NASAA members are the closest regulators to North America’s local communities, small businesses, and the investing public. With a mission of protecting investors from fraud and abuse, they conduct investor education to endure the integrity of the financial markets. Always remember investment scams that provide “too good to be true” returns are scams.
https://www.nasaa.org/investor-education/fraud-center/
https://www.nasaa.org/investor-education/investment-fraud-awareness-quiz/
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), like NASAA, is oriented to protect investors; maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets; and facilitate capital formation. They gather information from investors in the public and, at times, prosecute offenders.
https://www.sec.gov/reportspubs/investor-publications/investorpubsphishinghtm.html
If you, your loved ones, or your clients require a private investigator or forensic accountant regarding any type of fraud, please contact Chief Investigator Edmond Martin of Sage Investigations, LLC at 512-659-3179 as soon as possible, or email him at edmartin@sageinvestigations.com. We offer a free 20-minute consult. Visit our website at www.Sageinvestigations.Com. Click to read about our team and their CVs.
